Ash-removing device



c. H. HALL ASH, REMOVING DEVICE March 24, 1931.

2 Sheets-Sheet Original Filed July 9, 1925 l H U 1 & I

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY}.

C. H. HALL March 24, 1931. 4 DEVI Re. 18,006

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTO F 4 v 042%, 6

, ATTORNEY).

Reissued Mar. 24, 1931 Y UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE CORTIOE HUNTERHALL, OF GLEN ROCK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB TO iDOMESTIC STOKER COMPANY, OFNEW YQRK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE ASH-REMOVING DEVICE OriginalNo. 1,756,025, dated April 29, 1930, Serial No. 42,350, filed July 9,1925. Application for reissue filed November 26, 1930. Serial No.498,272.

My invention relates-generally to devices for automatically removingashes. from. furnaces, and more partlcularly to a device of this generalnature which is especially adapt-' ed for use with furnaces or heatersof the household or domestic type. I

It is 'well known that in the operation of household furnaces asordinarily conducted there is occasion at frequent intervals to manuallyshovel ashes from the ash pit of the furnace into the receptacle inwhich they are carried from the premises. Not only is the work ofremoving ashes in this manner onerous and objectionable in its verynature but the handling of ashes with a shovel produces an undue amountof dust and litter. In addition the cleaning out operation is likely tobe forgotten or overlooked with a resulting overfilling and clogging ofthe furnace ash pit.)

A general object of this invention is to eliminate the objectionablework of shoveling ashes in tending a domestic furnace and to provide adevice which will operate automatically to remove ashes from a furnaceash pit and discharge them into a suitable receptacle for convenienthandling and disposal! 'An ash remover designed to fulfil the requiredconditions should include means for conveying ashes horizontally fromthe ash pit beneath the furnace to a point outside the wall'of thefurnace, and additional convey ing means for elevating the ashes fordischarge into an aslTcan or other receptacle.

An apparatus embodying the above features is described and claimed inthe Wightman Patent No. 1,703,130 issued February 26, 1929.

The present invention is of the same general type as that described inthe patent referred to but includesimprovements and features whichincrease the efficiency and cortainty of operation of the apparatuswithout attention and insure the maintenance of the ash pit in acondition free from accumulations of ash and clinkers.

The invention includesmeans adapted to be mounted in-the furnace ash pitfor directing clinkers falling from the burner into the range of actionof the conveyor. While the directing means will function with the morefinely divided ashes also, it is particularly desirable that the roughand irregularl shaped clinker masses be directed into t e path of theconveyor in order to obviate the possibility of a cloggingor bridging.action that would prevent the deposit of ashes or clinkers in the ,ofthe parts in handling lumps or clinkers of abnormal size or shape.

Other features of the invention will be hereinafter referred to. v

' In the drawings, in which apreferred embodiment of the invention hasbeen selected for illustration,

Figure 1 is a plan view of an ash removing device embodying theinvention.

Figure 2 is a view in horizontal section on an enlarged scale of adetail of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in front elevation of the parts shown in Figure 1. 1

Figure 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 44of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings for a more dethe outer end of the pipe 11 aconveyor 12 extends in an upwardly inclined direction to convey ashesfrom the point of discharge of the screw conveyor 10 for delivery intoasuitable ash can or other receptacle 13 for final removal and disposal.

The invention includes means adapted to be mounted within the ash pitchamber, which will function to guide or direct clinkers and ashesfalling from the fire pot of the furnace into the range of action of theconveyor 10. This means takes the form of a set of inclined directingmembers 14 which are placed in flanking relation to the fire pot 15 ofthe furnace which, in the particular installation shown, is of theunder-feed type. The directing members 14 extend'from elevated points 16located at oppositely disposed points in the transverse axis of the firepot downwardly and in curved paths following in general the circularcurvature of the outer rim 17 of the fire pot over which ashes andclinkers fall as I the fuel is consumed. It will be seen that thedirecting members 14 are cut away as at 19 to provide spacevin which toreceive the fire pot parts. Finely divided ashes may accumulate on bothsides of the channel 18' through the openings 19 but there is noobjection to this since the ashes will find their way into the channelwhen the accumulations have reached a sufiicient depth.

The material thus received on the directing members 14 is guided intoatrough or channel 18 which is disposed longitudinally of the ash pitchamber beneath the fire pot and the I feeding mechanism therefor. Thescrew conveyor extends longitudinally of the channel 18 and thereboccupies a position wherein ashes directed mto the channel are engaged Iby the helical flange or screw of the conveyor j so and impelledoutwardl through the conduit 11, as will be clear. e conduit 11 isprovided with a longitudinally extending notch in its inner or receivingedge formed by converging curved surfaces as lllustrated in Figure 1.These surfaces act to crush .the clinkers forced intothe conduit andthereby reduce them to a size which may be handled in the removing andelevating conveyors. I

The elevator or lifting conveyor 12 includes a casing 20 whose lower endis coincident with the exterior terminus of the screw conveyor conduitlland rises in an inclined osition in which itis supported by an adustable standard or leg 21 held in place in a bracket 22 by means of aset screw 23. The elevator conveyor casing 20 is provided with adownwardly opening discharge outlet; 24 located at a convenient heightto discharge into the removable receptacle 13'.

Within the casing 20 which is conveniently formed in two sections sothat the forward wall 25 of the casing may be completely'removed fdraccess to the working parts; a conveyor 26 of the chain or link type ismounted for operation; The conveyor chain26 includes flights or ashmoving members 27 preferably formed integrally with the links in thechain i 26; In the form of the invention shown the flights'27 extendlaterally to one side of the chainto thereby provide a wider and moreefl'ective working path than is provided by the width of the chainitself.-

The conveyor chain 26 passes around a sprocket wheel 27 at the lower endof its course, the s rocket Wheel being rotatable with the sha t" 28 ofthe screwconveyor 10 '-through a keyed connection 29 therewith. Withthis construction it will be seen that the shaft of the horizontalconveyor 10 serves as a driving member for the elevating 'conveyor 26.

In order to protect the journaled parts associated with the sprocketwheel 27and conveyor shaft 28 from the action of ashes and dust aspecial bearing construction is.provided. This construction includes anelongated hub member 30 having a flange 31 at its inner end which isattached to the forward face of the conveyor casing cover 25 by means oflag screws 32 or the like. Within the elongated bearing provided by thehub member 30 is journaled a sleeve member 33 which is immovablyassociated with the shaft 28 and the sprocket gear 27' by means of thekey 29. The inner end of the hub member 30 is provided with an axialextension 34 which is adapted to rotate within a circular opening 35formed in the cover member 25. Also received in the circular opening 35in the cover member 25 is a cup-shaped housing or protecting member 36,the open orrecessed side Y of the cup-shaped member being filled with anoil-soaked felt washer or the like 37 With this construction a bearingisprovided in which the journaled parts are protected from the destructiveefli'ects of ashes and dust.

The upper end of the elevating conveyor 26 is provided with a sprocketwheel 38 around which the conveyor chain is passed. The shaft 43 of thesprocket gear 38 is provided with ball bearing devices 39 mounted incupshaped recesses 40 in a U-shaped frame member 41 which is mounted inflanking relation to the opposite lateral faces of the upper endofthecasing 20.

In oiderto provide for'aresilient or yielding action of the elevatingconveyor 26 in the event that a clinker becomes jammed or wedged in theelevating apparatus, the U-' shaped frame member 41 which carries theshaft 43 of the sprocket gear 38 is arranged to slide longitudinally ofthe casing 20. To effect this the opposite sides of the casing 20cup-shaped members 40 housing the bearingsfor, the sprocket shaft 43extend forfm'oveare provided with slots 44 through which the H mentlongitudinally of the slots 44. The outer or upper extremity oftheconveyor casing,-

20 is provided with a pin or stud 45 on which is mounted-an abutmentmember 46 forming a seat for a compression spring 47 the outer end ofwhich is received in-a recess 48 formed in the base portion of theU-shaped framework 41. With the structure thus described it will be seenthat the spring 47 acts to force or tend to force the frame member 41outwardly while permitting yielding movement of the sprocket wheel 38inwardly or downwardly in the event of a jam or obstruction in theoperating parts. a

The tension of the sprin 47 may be adj usted as desired by rotating t eabutment member 46 on the pin 45 and locking it in adjusted osition bymeans of the lock nut 49. In or ier to guide the frame member 41 andproperly direct its movement, guide screws 50 are provided which projectthrough slots 51 formed in the frame 41 and into the sides of;

the casing 20. S ecially formed washers 52 are provided whic haveterminal projections 53 which enter and move in the guide slots 51. Theoppositely disposed upstanding portions 54 engage flat faces of theheads of the screws 50 to prevent loosening or turning of the screws intheir seats.

Since the elevating conveyor is driven from its lower end andresiliently supported from its upper end, an obstruction between theelevating fiights or carrier elements 27 and the casing surrounding theelevator may in many cases be passed by the pivoting of the flight orcarrier element, which is rigidly fixedto the chain 26, around theobstruction so as to change the angle of its contact with the latter;the pivoting of the flight or carrier element being permitted by theyielding of the upper support for the elevator chain. Also,

. the force of the spring, which is compressed when an elevator of thistype strikes an obstruction, will be added to the pulling force of thechain and the totalforce will in many cases be suflicient to crush theobstruction.

Where the obstruction is so great that it can the parts when anobstruction or jamming action of either conveyor takes place, afrangible member is provided which will shear or give way to relieve thestress or strain developed under such conditions. The means chosen forthe purpose takes the form of a collar member 58 having a toothed orclutched connection as at 59 with the hub flange on the sprocket wheel55. The collar 58 is attached to the shaft 28 to convey rotativemovement thereto by means of a cotter pin or pins 60 or equivalent keymembers which will shear under an undue stress applied to the drivinggear 55. With this construction it is a simple matter to remove thecollar 58 and replace the frangible or yieldable member 60 without thenecessity for disassembling the remainder of the driving structure.

What I claim is':'

1. In an ash remover for furnaces the combination with a fire pot of theunderfeed type from, helically inclined members arranged" to directashes falling from the rim of the fire pot into the conveyor, a casingin which the conveyor operates, an elongated bearing member at the outerend of the casing through which the conveyor shaft projects, a sprocketwheel rotatably mounted on the shaft adjacent the outer end of thebearing member, a sleeve member removably mounted on the shaft andhaving a toothed engagement with the hub of the sprocket wheel wherebyto be rotatedthereby, and a cotter pin connecting the sleeve to theshaft.

2. In a furnace of the underfeed type, the combination with asubstantially circular fire pot with an ash pit therebeneath of ahorizontally arranged screw conveyor extending into the ash pit towithdraw ashes and clinkers therefrom, a tubular casing for the conveyoropen along its upper wall in the portion extending into the ash pit,said conveyor extending across the ash pit chamber substantially at thecentral part thereof and semicircular directing members positionedbeneath the rim of the fire pot to receive ashes falling therefrom andhaving apex points located in flanking relation to the conveyor, saiddirecting members being inclined downwardly from the apex points todischarge into the conveyor casing ashes-and clinkers received from thecircular rim of the fire pot.

3. In a furnace of the underfeed type, the combination with a fire pothaving a circumscribing rim from the outer edge of which ashes aredischarged with an ash pit therebeneath, a horizontally arrangedconveyor extending into the furnace ash pit to withdraw ashes therefrom,helically inclined members mounted in the ash pit beneath the rim of thefire pot to receive ashes falling therefrom and to direct said ashesinto the range of action of the conveyor, together with means forreceiving ashes from the horizontally arranged conveyor and elevatingthem for discharge into a receptacle.

4. In an ash remover for furnaces of the underfeed type, a horizontallyarranged conveyor adapted to extend across the floor of the furnace ashpit beneath the fire ot and helically inclined ash directing membersarranged to receive ashes falling from the upper and outer edge of thefire pot and to defiect the ashes into the range of action of theconveyor.

5. In a furnace of the underfeed type, the combination with a fire potof an ash-pit therebeneath, a horizontally arranged conveyor extendingacross the floor of the furnace ash pit beneath the fire pot, atrough-shaped member in I which said conveyor operates, helicallyinclined wing members adapted to be removably attached to the sides ofthe troughby the frangible connection will shaped members, said wingmembers being I 1 conveyor adapted to extencl into the furnace ash pitbeneath the fire pot to remove ashes dropped from the rim of the firepot, helically inclined members for directing ashes falling from the rimof the fire pot into the range of action of the conveyor, a sprocketwheel on the conveyor shaft, a sprocket chain through which power issupplied to the sprocket wheel, a sleeve on the shaft having a toothedengagement with the hub of the sprocket wheel shaft and a frangibleconnection between the sleeve and the shaft whereive way and permit thesleeve and the sproc et wheel to turn freely on the shaft in the eventthat the operation of the conveyor is obstructed.

7. An ash remover for furnaces of the underfeed type arranged todischarge ashes over the outer edge of the fire rim comprising,

conveyor.

in combination a horizontally arranged conveyor adapted to extend intothe furnace ash pit below the rim of the fire pot to withdraw ashes andclinkers therefrom and means shaped to follow the contour of the outerrim of the fire pot to be mounted in the ash ,pit beneath and adjacentthe rim of the fire pot to direct ashes and clinkers falling from thefire pot into the range of action of the conveyor. r p

8. An ash remover for furnaces of the underfeed type arranged todischarge ashes over the outer edge of the fire pot rim comprising, incombination a horizontally-arranged conveyor adapted to extend into thefurnace ash pit below the rim of thefire pot to withdraw ashes andclinkers therefrom and inclined directing members arranged to be mountedin the ash pit on o posite sides of the rim of thefire pot and ollowingthe contour of the outer edgevthereof to deflect ashes and clinkersfalling from the fire pot into the conveyor. r

9. An ash remover for furnaces of the underfeed type having a circularedge and an ash pit therebeneath comprising a horizontally arrangedconveyor adapted to extend into and across the furnace ash pitsubstantially at the central part thereof and inclined directingapproximately semi-circular members shaped to follow the contour oftheouter edge of the fire pot and adapted to be mounted in the ash pit onopposite sidesof the fire pot and S10 ing inwardly to deflect ashes andclinkers fa ling from thefire pot into the 10. An ash remover forfurnaces of the underfeed type having a circular fire potarranged'todischarge ashes over the outer edge thereof comprising ahorizontally arranged conveyor adapted to extend into the furnace ashpit and comprising a trough and a con- 'veyor screw operating thereinand inclined nace, a'conveyor adapted to remove ashes from the furnaceash pit, means for positively driving said conveyor, and an ashelevating device of the endless chain conveyor type arranged to receiveashes from the outer end portion of the ash removing conveyor, said ashelevating device having elevating carriers fixed to its actuating chainso as to resist yielding downwardly under a load,.said chain beingdriven from its lower end by the said means for driving the ash removingcon veyor, and having its upper end resiliently supported so as topermit it to yield longitudinally.

12. In an ash removing device for a furnace, a screw conveyor adapted toremove ashes from the furnace pit, and an ash e'levat- 7 driven at itslower end from the screw conveyor and having its upper end resilientlysupported so asto permit it to yield longitudinally.

13. In an ash removing device for a furnace of the u'nderfeed type, afire pot, a conduit positioned to conduct ashes away from said fire pot,directing plates extending beyond the edge of said fire pot andpositioned to direct ashes fallingover the edge of the fire pot into thesaid conduit, a screw conveyor positioned in said conduit and adapted tomove the ashes through it, an ash elevating device of the endless chaintype arranged to receive ashes from the outer end portion of said ashconveyor, said ash elevating means being driven at its lower end fromthe ash conveyor and havingits upper end resiliently supported so as topermit it to yield longitudinally.

14. In an ash removing device for a furv by the means for driving thescrew conveyor and an upper sprocket wheel for carrying the chain at theupper end of the elevator, said upper sprocket wheel being resilientlysupported so as to permit it to yield longitudinally of the chain.

15. Inan ash removingdevice for a furnace, a substantially horizontalconduit adapted to remove ashes from the furnace pit, a screw conveyorin said conduit for moving the ashes through it, means for operatingsaid conveyor, an ash elevating device of the endless chain conveyortype arranged to receive ashes from. the outer end portion of thehorizontal conduit and extending at right angles and at an upwardinclination from the horizontal ash conveyor, said ash elevator havingelevating carriers fixed to its actuating chain so as to resist yieldingdownwardly under a load, said chain being driven through a sprocketwheel as its lower end from the screw conveyor shaft and-having asprocket wheel for carrying the chain at the upper end of the elevatorresiliently mounted so as to permit it to yield longitudinally of thechain.

16. In an ash removing device for a furnace of the underfeed type, afire pot, a conduit positioned to receive ashes and clinkers at one endand to conduct the same away from the fire pot, said conduit having atapering notch in its' receiving edge extending longitudinally of theconduit, an ash guide for directing ashes and clinkers to the receivingend of the conduit, and means for moving ashes and clinkers into andthrough the said conduit.

17. In an ash removing device for a furnace, a conveyor adapted toremove ashes from the furnace ash'pit, means for driving said conveyor,an ash elevating device of the endless chain conveyor type arranged toreceive ashes from the outer end portion of the ash removing conveyor,said ash elevating device having elevatlng carriers fixed to itsactuating chain so as to resist yielding downwardly under a load, saidchain being driven from Its lower end by the means for driving the ashremoving conveyor and having its upper end resiliently supportedso as topermovemcntof the carrier relative to the actuator when a load 1sapplied to the carrier, said elevating carrier being drlven from itslower end and having its upper end resiliently supported so as to permitit to yield longitu-- dinally.

In testimony whereof, I have si ned my name to this specification thisthir day of November, 1930.

CORTIOE HUNTER HALL.

mit it to yield longitudinally, and additional means for relieving themechanism in the event of an overload on the ash remover or elevatingmechanism.

18. A conveyor adapted to remove ashes from a furnace, comprising asubstantially horizontal conveyor, means for driving said conve or, andan elevatin conveyor positione wlthin a casing an arranged to receiveashes from the outer end portion of said horizontal conveyor andcomprisin an actuator of the endless conveyorktype aving elevatingcarriers fixed to it so as to resist

